‘Thunder bolts and lightning’: survival and neurorehabilitation following out of hospital cardiac arrest secondary to lightning strike

ABSTRACT

Background: There is a limited evidence base to inform patient management following lightning-induced injuries.

Case report: A 36-year-old right-handed Caucasian male struck by lightning while outdoors suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with a recorded 50-min interval before the restoration of spontaneous circulation. Multiple life threatening injuries were sustained and a profound peripheral neuropathy developed. Cognitively, he was remarkably intact. We document his acute admission and his recovery during an inpatient stay in a UK-based Neurorehabilitation Unit.

Conclusion: Intensive neurorehabilitation in this case improved functional independence and facilitated neuropsychological recovery, to the point that our patient was discharged to independent living. This case offers some support to the hypothesis that the electrical activity of a lightning strike can be both cardioprotective and neuroprotective, and that prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation is warranted in such cases.

KEYWORDS:

• Neurological
• rehabilitation
• cognitive rehabilitation

Declaration of Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.